Marineland, Demers doc premières on CBC Thursday
Filmmaker chronicles long conflict between park and its ex-employee
Welland-raised filmmaker Nathalie Bibeau was midway through her documentary on Marineland and former animal trainer Phil Demers when she faced a cruel plot twist: Marineland owner John Holer — whom she had been chasing for an interview — had died.
Suddenly, one of the central figures in her movie “The Walrus and the Whistleblower” was gone, and she wasn’t sure where to go next.
“It really did throw me,” says Bibeau, whose 90-minute film premières Thursday on CBC. “I had always wanted to speak to John directly and have an in-depth conversation with him. I actually believed the time was right for it.”
Holer, who founded the Niagara Falls park in 1961, died two years ago at the age of 83. He was both a legendary businessperson and a target for animal activists, who have frequently protested his park in recent years.
Much of the anti-Marineland sentiment was stirred by Demers, a former park trainer who spoke out against conditions and animal treatment at the facility eight years ago. It resulted in a $1.5-million lawsuit against Demers, which is still before the courts.
Among the accusations Marineland made against him is that he plotted to steal Smooshi, a large walrus Demers formed a bond with while he was an employee.
Bibeau watched the drama unfold as she started her filmmaking career and knew it could be a gripping documentary. Central to its plot was the tense relationship between Demers and the man who once employed him.
“I had questions around what had happened to Phil since all this blew up, and I had questions about what happened to Marineland,” she says. “What’s going on with John Holer, who started this business back in 1961 when our mores were quite different than they are today? How was he feeling about all of it? Where had this landed for him?
“When he died, I was very disappointed I was never going to get that opportunity to speak to him directly. More than that, I just didn’t know where the story would go.”
While the film examines the historic passing of Bill S-203 in 2019, effectively banning the captivity and breeding of whales and dolphins in Canada (Marineland is allowed to keep the animals it has), the heart of
“The Walrus and the Whistleblower” is Demers.
The Chippawa resident’s battle with the park has brought him international attention and made him a frequent guest on Joe Rogan’s podcast.
Bibeau, who briefly knew Demers from her childhood, calls him a “fascinating guy” who granted “generous access” during a painful and expensive battle.
“When someone allows you into their world, you have a huge responsibility to listen carefully and interpret their story with care,” she says.
“As I was watching him and listening to him, I started to realize he’s really a warrior. He’s witty, he’s impulsive, he’s courageous. But he’s a lot more vulnerable than people realize behind all that bravado.”
But with Demers’ battle with the park still ongoing, one of Bibeau’s biggest challenges with the film was knowing when to end it.
“One of my demons was trying to figure out when do I finish the story narratively; when do I let it go,” she says. “It was intuitive in the end.
“I was always trying to be flexible about it, but eventually you come to a point where you realize what you have is actually the strongest possible story you could tell. Personally, I love films that are open-ended.”
Demers calls it “unnerving” waiting to see the finished film.
“I’ve been followed by a camera crew for over two years, and the reveal is finally here,” he says. “Nervous is an understatement.”
Asked about the film, Marineland released a statement stressing its “focus” at the moment is preserving jobs and protecting its animals during COVID-19.
“We have not seen the film, but it appears to be focused on Phil Demers and directed by Phil Demers’ childhood friend,” the park says. “Like all Canadians, Mr. Demers is entitled to express his opinions on whatever topics he chooses, even when those opinions may be inaccurate or unfair and despite the fact he resigned his employment at Marineland in 2012 and has not been in the park in 8.5 years.”
Bibeau says both sides of the bitter dispute are shown in the film: “What I love to do as a filmmaker is try to find the grey. Find what’s in between … I did my best to put Marineland’s point of view in the film, and I think that will be felt.”
Even after filming wrapped, Bibeau had one more twist waiting: The movie was scheduled to be screened at this year’s Hot Docs film festival in Toronto, but the event was cancelled because of COVID-19.
Instead, a handful of the festival’s films were chosen to première on CBC, including “The Walrus and the Whistleblower.”
“It’s a double-edged sword, because as a filmmaker you really want to have that live experience of the cinema,” she says. “But when CBC came forward … that was really the silver lining. Then I realized people would really see it. To have a public broadcaster like CBC behind you is amazing.”
“The Walrus and the Whistleblower” airs on CBC May 28 at 8 p.m.